"It's a good thing I arrived on time," she said, a clear sense of relief on her face.
She looked around at the frozen scene—at everything that had happened—before bringing her attention back to Kael.
"It's unfortunate. You're all about to be wiped out."
From the look in his eyes, she could tell he wanted to speak. With a flick of her hand, the time freeze loosened its hold on his face.
"It's very obvious," Kael said the moment he could talk. "Who are you? What is this? What do you want? Are you with him?"
"Oh my! So many questions," she said with a mesmerizing smile, drawing closer to him.
Kael didn't like this at all. Something about her presence unsettled him. She felt dangerous.
He was never deeply religious, though he believed higher beings existed. But the one before him wasn't the god his people prayed to.
Still, he hoped—he hoped she had come to help. Her power was too extraordinary to ignore. At this point, she was his only hope.
"You've been chosen to carry out our will," she said, her tone soft but firm. "So I'm obligated to answer your questions."
Kael's brow furrowed. 'Chosen? What does she mean?' He thought as he waited for her next words. She hovered closer, only a meter away now.
He could feel her presence pressing on him, dense and overwhelming. The space around him pulsed with energy, reverberating through his very being. Her divine aura wrapped around him, seeping into his veins, altering his consciousness.
His mind felt like it was being pulled into a boundless ocean—adrift between reality and dreams. The edges of his thoughts blurred, her light threatening to drown them entirely.
His vision wavered.
And yet, through the chaos, Kael fought to hold on. He couldn't give in—not now.
She watched him with amusement and a hint of surprise. He could tell—she was doing this on purpose.
"Interesting," she murmured.
Then, as if she'd seen enough, the sensations vanished. His clarity returned.
"I need you to listen carefully to what I'm about to say." Once again, time clutched at his lips, silencing him.
"First of all, the fate that has befallen you all can not be reversed by any deity—even one such as myself."
Her words landed like a hammer blow. Whatever hope had been growing inside him was crushed in an instant. Kael's gaze fell on his family and the people below who he had sworn to protect, causing a heavy sense of grief to wash over him
"But it can be changed by you."
Hearing these next words brought mixed emotions. He blinked, confused—but calm. He waited for her to explain further. Not that he could speak right now anyway.
"We higher deities are Nebula Gods," she continued. "Recently, war was declared on our realm by outer-worldly gods. But we cannot participate directly in the war. So, we use vessels—lower beings into whom we infuse fragments of our power."
Kael began to piece things together. His eyes drifted back to the creature floating in the sky.
"Yes," she said, confirming his suspicion. "That thing is the vessel of an outer-worldly god. Your people were simply unlucky—among the first casualties of their invasion. And more are coming. What you saw… that was only a fraction."
Kael, always quick on the uptake, understood what she was saying.
"Then aren't you already interfering by doing this?" he asked.
"I'm only slowing the result, not changing it," she replied. "This much I can get away with—without severe consequences."
But Kael wasn't convinced.
"So, what do you want?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, we're at a disadvantage in this war. Our vessels aren't strong enough or numerous enough. But there's something—something that can tip the balance."
"It exists in a world different from this one. And I need you to find it. While you're gone, your world will remain in this frozen state until the task is complete," she explained.
Honestly, Kael expected something more impossible. This... this sounded like a blessing.
'There's no room for hesitation. If I want to save the...All of them. This is my only chance. And I'll make sure to succeed,' he vowed inwardly.
"And what is this thing you want me to find?"
She was silent for a few seconds before replying casually.
"I don't know."
Kael's expression darkened. Feeling his desperation, she allowed him to speak again.
"What do you mean you don't know?!" he snapped in disbelief, considering that maybe he was being toyed with. "How do you expect me to find something even you—a Nebula Deity—know nothing about? It's almost impossible."
"It wasn't revealed to us," she said simply. "That's why we need you to find it. Other Nebula Gods like myself will also be looking for it. You'll face opposition—not just from them, but from the dangers of that world as well. More importantly, you'll need to become strong enough to protect that world until it is found."
Kael withdrew his earlier thought—this would not be easy at all.
And she wasn't done.
"Your world will remain preserved in this state until your task is complete. But mind you—I can't keep this up forever. And even if you succeed, you'll still have to face everything here by yourself once time begins to flow naturally."
Kael frowned at that. But deep down, settling things with his own hands had a certain appeal.
Though he still had questions...
"We can't waste any more time. Everything will become clearer on your journey. Good luck."
He opened his mouth to respond—but in the next instant, he was engulfed in a glow of light and vanished.
He had no idea where he was headed or if he would even survive. But one thing was clear. He was going to do whatever he could. And if he survives. He would use his own hands to rewrite fate.
---
Immediately after, another ball of light appeared beside her. A calm voice followed.
"Is it done?"
She nodded gently. "Let's watch and see how this turns out."